US to announce decision of action in response to Khashoggi's death

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The United States is weighing "different options" concerning the death of a Saudi journalist and will announce its decision of action, said the White House on Monday.

In a press briefing, White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said that US President Donald Trump had met last week with CIA Director Gina Haspel "after having gathered additional intelligence on her overseas trip."

US President Donald Trump stands alongside Gina Haspel after she was sworn in as director of the Central Intelligence Agency during a ceremony at CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia, May 21, 2018. /VCG Photo

"The administration is weighing different options, and we'll make an announcement about what the decision of that action is," she said.

"The administration is considering what action we will take moving forward based on that information and the briefing that the President received last week," she added, refusing to predict what the actual action would be and when that will happen.

Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, disappeared during a visit to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2.

A demonstrator holds a poster picturing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and a lightened candle during a gathering outside the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul, October 25, 2018. /VCG Photo

After two weeks of denial, Riyadh admitted that the journalist was killed during a physical fight with the people in the Saudi consulate, but did not give any explanation about the cause of his death.

In his first public comments since the journalist's death, the Saudi crown prince promised on Wednesday that Khashoggi's killers would be brought to justice.

So far, 18 Saudis have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Trump said earlier this month that he will impose severe punishment if Saudi Arabia is confirmed to be behind Khashoggi's death.

However, he refused to list what measures he would take, only saying that he would not choose to impose sanctions on the country for fear of losing its military sales orders with US companies.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency